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Pastor Chris White says to all of you: HELLO MY FRIENDS. May the Lord bless you today.
HOLA MIS AMIGOS. Que el Señor los bendiga.
It has become popular in modern society to be
“spiritual, but not religious.” “Spiritual” usually means that a person is in
touch with his or her own spirit, the spirits of others, and some (personal or
impersonal) Higher Power or Spirit that inhabits (and perhaps empowers) the
universe. To do this, one does not need to be part of an organized religion or
believe any specific doctrines about God, sin, salvation, heaven, hell, or
Jesus. In fact, doctrine will probably only limit one’s spirituality since God
(who- or whatever He, She, or It may be) is undoubtedly bigger than religious
categories. Religion separates us, goes the common thinking; spirituality
brings us together.
According to Liz Budd Ellmann, former Executive Director of Spiritual Directors
International (as quoted on the Spiritual Direction website), “Spiritual
direction explores a deeper relationship with the spiritual aspect of being
human. Simply put, spiritual direction is helping people tell their sacred
stories everyday [sic].
“Spiritual direction has emerged in many contexts using language specific to particular
cultural and spiritual traditions. Describing spiritual direction requires
putting words to a process of fostering a transcendent experience that lies
beyond all names and yet the experience longs to be articulated and made
concrete in everyday living. It is easier to describe what spiritual direction
does than what spiritual direction is. Our role is not to define spiritual
direction, but to describe the experience.
“Spiritual direction helps us learn how to live in peace, with compassion,
promoting justice, as humble servants of that which lies beyond all names.”
For those who are steeped in a particular religion, there are spiritual
directors who are Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, etc. These spiritual
directors will operate within the context of a particular religion but focus on
the more mystical and personal interactions with the Divine. Spiritual
direction in a Christian context can be either Protestant or Catholic and will
most likely focus on prayer, meditation, and the more mystical aspects of
Christianity.
Spiritual direction focuses on people communicating their spiritual experiences
to other people for the purpose of awakening to the mystery within and the
wonder without. Spiritual direction offered by spiritual directors can happen
in a weekly setting (individual or group) or in a retreat setting.
There is nothing wrong with the concept of spiritual direction, per se. All of
us need help developing spiritually, and, if we are developing in the right
direction, based on the Word of God, it is a good thing. The main problem with
spiritual direction as a “movement” is that the personal experience of the
individual, not the Word of God, is the final authority. While anything
spiritual may sound better than the current focus on materialism and consumerism in American culture,
spiritual direction is really just consumerism on the spiritual level. In
spiritual direction, the spiritual explorer simply picks and chooses the
experiences and the interpretation of the experiences that he or she finds most
meaningful. Spiritual direction is really mysticism seeking a spiritual
experience minus the doctrinal content.
The Bible teaches that our most basic need is not first and foremost that of
spiritual direction or of getting in touch with our “spiritual self” but that
we are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and in
need of spiritual life that can only come from God. The God who gives spiritual
life is the God who created the world and entered the human race as Jesus
Christ. Spiritual life is only available to those who are raised to new life in
Christ through faith in Him (Ephesians 2:6–7). Those who are “raised with
Christ” are born again into new spiritual life and are indwelled with the Holy
Spirit. The Spirit is the Ultimate Spiritual Director (Romans 8:14). And He will always glorify Jesus
(John 16:14) and direct us to become more like
Christ (Ephesians 4:15).
The Bible does call for “spiritual directors” of a sort to help Christians find
“spiritual direction.” Some of these “spiritual directors” are called pastors (shepherds),
elders, or overseers who must meet specific qualifications (see 1 Peter 5:2–4, Titus 1:5–9, and 1 Timothy 3:1–7). All believers are to help
each other move in the right spiritual direction. “And let us consider how we
may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting
together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and
all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24–25). “Let the word of Christ
dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom,
singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts
to God” (Colossians 3:16). The fellowship of the local
church is the context for spiritual direction and spiritual growth.
Those who are seeking spiritual direction should get involved in a local church
where the Bible is clearly taught and obeyed and where people help each other
to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:18). “His divine power has given us
everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us
by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3). The Bible gives us the direction
that we should be moving spiritually (Psalm 119:105), and the propositional truth in
the Bible should take priority over mystical or personal experiences.
Thank you to Got Questions Ministries
© Copyright 2002-2019 Got Questions Ministries. All rights reserved.
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